The Four Freshmen from The Republic Archives
Where do I start? After RER and Gregg had the discussion on this board as to whether Don and Ross Barbour were raised in Columbus or Azalia, I wondered myself, because my thinking was that they were raised on a farm south of Elizabethtown!
My first stop was my trusted 1953 Columbus City Directory. For those of you who are not familiar with the format of these old directories, they have a Rural Route listing.
That is where I started. Only thing is it had three listings for Barbour and all on Rural Route # three! Ethel, Florence and Harold & Maud. Rural Route 3 started in Columbus on State Street and went southeast on State Road 7. Now, I’m thinking that Elizabethtown had a Postoffice and wondered if Azalia did also or could Azalia have been serviced by a Postoffice in Reddington? I know two brothers that live near Azalia today and did while in high school.
Their last name isn’t listed in the 1953 book. Now, what do I do? About then, the light came on! Go to The Republic site (www.therepublic.com) and check their archives! If you’ve been there, you’ll know that it makes you happy that you have broadband.
After some amount of time and fifty-four printed pages, I’ll try to list some of the highlights here. If you’ve read my post about how to post on these boards, you know that I type everything in my word processor and then paste into this board. When I paste into the board, it disregards the spaces made by my Tab Key. I’ll list the date then a series of dashes to post these highlights.
January 2, 1947 -------- Cpl. Don Barbour son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Barbour of Route 3, has arrived home after overseas service and will be on leave until his discharge next month. Corporal Barbour served overseas 13 months and arrived back in the States on December 24.
My Note * Address is Route 3! End my Note. November 30, 1950 -------- Donald and Ross Barbour, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Barbour of east of Columbus. They’re half of the “Four Freshmen” quartet, whose first recording was released November 13 by Capitol Records, Inc. Of Hollywood, Calif. The story of how Ross and Don shot up the ladder of success into what promises to be a bright career in show business has tinges of the Horatio Alger in it-as when Stan Kenton, the “progressive jazz” genius, just happened to hear the “Four Freshmen” in Dayton, Ohio, last spring. Kenton personally arranged their audition with show business “biggies.” Shortly afterword Capitol Records signed them up as exclusive recording stars. Ross, who graduated from Columbus high school in 1947, played drums in the CHS band and its dance orchestra, which played in many cities in southern Indiana. Don was active in the high school chorus before his graduation in 1945. He plays the guitar in the quartet.
My Note * Address (east of Columbus) End My Note. May 18, 1955 -------- The headline with this story is “A Housewife on the Run- That’s Nancy Barbour, but She’s Happy.” Nancy Sue finds herself adjusting to quick changes, tours, and temporary homes, and from her healthy-looking children, Kent, 5 and Gary, 4, does a good job as a mother. She is here now for five weeks in an apartment at 703 Fourteenth street, while her husband and the others of his quartet are in Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pa., and then New York for rehearsals and recording a new album. Nancy Sue is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Carson of 1713 Chestnut street, and Don and Ross Barbour are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Barbour of Elizabethtown.
My Note * Wow, It doesn’t say Route 3 End My Note.March 3, 1956 -------- This archive notes that parts are missing and is from a clipping. The Barbours are from the Elizabe [missing]. Jaycees’ spring Auditorium Program to Be First Professional Appearance Here. Tickets on sale at Ernie’s Record Shop, Carpenter’s drug store, Coffman’s drug store, Community Hardware, the high school book store, and Chamber of Com (clipping ends here).
My Note * The second line (The Barbours are from the Elizabe [missing].) Could the Original have said, The Barbours are from the Elizabethtown area? End My Note.February 18, 1958 -------- Ross and Don Barbour took advantage of the cold weather transportation tie-ups in the east this week for their first visit home in six months. Stranded in Potsdam, N.Y., Sunday, and unable to keep an engagement at the naval academy at Annapolis, Md., because of raging snow storms, they flew to Chicago, then came on to Indianapolis and then to the home of their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Barbour, in Sand Creek Township Monday.
My Note * Elizabethtown and Azalia are both in Sand Creek Township and yes, I’m still confused! End My Note.October 6, 1961 -------- Headline – Don Barbour Is Killed In California Crash. Don M. Barbour, 34, former member of the Four Freshmen quartet, was killed in an automobile accident about 10:30 o’clock Thursday night in Hollywood. He was the son of Mr. And Mrs. Harold Barbour, Route 3. Don left the Freshmen in September, 1960 after being in ill health. He was born at Burnsville April 19, 1927, to Harold and Maude Fodrea Barbour, and was a member of Burnsville Methodist church. Surviving with the parents, wife, daughter and brother are 10 aunts and an uncle, Mrs. Florine Wood of Burnsville, Miss Bess Fodrea, Miss Grace Fodrea, Miss Hazel Fodrea, and Mrs Robert Simpson, all of Columbus; Mrs Jesse Gannon of Batesville, Mrs Lee Flanigan of Greencastle, Mr. Fred Fink of Ladoga, Mrs. Francis Jordan of Seymour, Mrs Gladys Nelson of Syracuse, N.Y., and William Fodrea of Azalia.
My Note * Route 3 and Burnsville both! Burnsville is in Rock Creek Township. My newest county map doesn’t show Burnsville but I know it’s at 200 South and 900 East! The 2004 State of Indiana map has Burnsville shown! OK, check the addresses of the survivors in the above paragraph. End My Note.July 11, 1973 -------- Mrs. Ross Barbour is returning with her children Kent, Gary, and Kathy for her 25th anniversary reunion of the Columbus high school class of 1948. She was a mid-term student and not actually a member of that class, but many of her closest friends were.
September 13, 1973 -------- Ross Barbour, son of Mr. And Mrs. Harold Barbour, Route 3, has been visiting his parents since Sunday. When contacted by The Republic Wednesday afternoon his mother called him in from the orchard where he was helping his father. “I’ve got four stumps burning,” he said, “and I’m getting ready to run the tractor.”
My Note * Route 3 again! Is someone getting Route 3 from the archives when they write these columns? End My Note.June 25, 1976 -------- Harold L. Barbour, 82, of route 3 died at 5:25 a.m. today. A retired farmer, he was an Army veteran of the first world war and was a member of the Wilson Chapel Christian Union church. He was also a member of the Elizabethtown Masonic lodge and the American Legion.
My Note * we’re still back to Route 3. AND the Wilson Chapel is in Jennings County on SR 7. End My Note.June 30, 1977 -------- Thirty years is long enough to be a freshman, Ross Barbour says, and he is going to retire in August as one of the original vocalists in the ‘pop’ vocal quartet. He is the son of Mrs. Harold Barbour, Route 3.
My Note * we’re still back to Route 3. End My Note.April 28, 1983 -------- Maude E. Barbour, 86, of Northridge, Calif., died at 10 p.m. Wednesday at Rinaldi Nursing Home at Granada Hills, Calif. She was a former resident of Azalia, moving to California in 1979.
My Note * Former resident of Azalia? I think I can see Gregg grinning! The sheet lists her survivors and none of the three school teaching aunts is listed at this date. End My Note.June 29, 1995 -------- This column by Harry McCawley of The Republic was written about the book Ross had written titled “Now You Know, the History of the Four Freshmen.” He was to talk at the Crump Theater on July 13. This column states “Former Bartholomew County Residents Don Barbour and Ross Barbour were charter members of the Four Freshmen.
My Note * this one is back to Bartholomew County Residents! End My Note.July 29, 1999 -------- Another column by Harry McCawley of The Republic. It was written about The PBS special. Here he said that Ross and Don lived in Bartholomew County. Residents Don Barbour and Ross Barbour were charter members of the Four Freshmen.
My Note * this one is still using Bartholomew County Residents! End My Note.
?? As well as, ever so fascinating. 
Probably An Early 1950 Picture